French soldiers board an oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia's shadow fleet off the coast of Saint-Nazaire in western France (©Reuters via Kyodo)
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A suspicious oil tanker navigating in the Atlantic Ocean was recently seized by the French authorities. Its Chinese captain was indicted after the vessel was identified as part of a Russian "shadow fleet" employed by Vladimir Putin to evade sanctions. A judicial decision on the case is expected in February 2026.
Profits from the sale of Russian crude oil are believed to finance Russia's war against Ukraine. The international community should urgently uncover the actual situation surrounding the shadow fleet and step up efforts to crack down on suspicious ships.
After leaving Russia, the ship in question sailed through the Baltic Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean. It was seized in late September off the coast of Brest, western France. The same tanker is suspected of being used as the launch platform for drones that caused airport closures in Denmark. If the objective was to disrupt European skies, it would definitely be a serious matter.
At the end of 2022, the G7 and other advanced nations imposed a price cap of $60 USD per barrel on Russian crude oil. The measure was intended to weaken Russia's ability to continue fighting. These parties also introduced sanctions prohibiting insurance or maritime services for ships involved in trading crude oil selling for a higher value per barrel.
However, Moscow's shadow fleet has continued to evade sanctions. Therefore, the European Union moved to strengthen its measures and announced additional sanctions this fall.
Wreaking Damage, Taunting the West
The shadow fleet is estimated to number around 800 to 1,000 ships in total. Reportedly, while transiting areas where they might be monitored, these phantom ships evade authorities by turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS), which transmits information about a ship's location.
Revenues from Russia's shadow fleet are said to cover 30-40% of Russia's war budget. There are now calls to do more to cut off this funding.
Submarine cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged one after another since the autumn of 2024. With the shadow fleet's suspected involvement, European countries have also been on high alert. The ships appear to methodically drop their anchor to the seabed and then drag it along while sailing in order to sever the cables. Cutting Internet and other communications could have a devastating impact on financial transactions and information sharing among nations.
United States' cooperation is essential to crack down on Moscow's shadow fleet. The Trump administration reportedly considered imposing sanctions on the shadow fleet ahead of the US-Russia summit held in Alaska in August. Nonetheless, it has taken no concrete action to date. Isn't President Donald Trump being overly considerate of Russia?
The international community must also pay attention to moves by North Korea. Pyongyang also openly flouts United Nations sanctions. Reportedly, it has attempted to acquire Russian crude oil by using "ship-to-ship transfers," which involve transferring cargo at sea. North Korean ships also sail with their AIS systems turned off.
Meanwhile, Japan must further strengthen maritime surveillance in its coastal waters.
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Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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